This is the pitching staff for a 1969 single season progressive league team that plays in Candlestick Park:

The rest of the team is very good: Colbert and Pepitone at 1B, H.Clarke 2B, Roberto Pena at SS, R.Hebner 3B, Grote C, W.Horton, B.Murcer and R.Jackson OF.

My 2 questions:

1) looking at the starting pitching, I have more than I need but do not want to trade anyone (G.Jackson becomes a good RP soon). McGlothlin's IP/G would seem to make him the logical choice for long relief. But Kaat and John, though decent this season, are not overpowering and McGlothlin as a starter would make him more of a factor. But in any case, he seems like the best bet for either long relief or a frequently used Setup A with good IP/G. So, is there a better choice than McGlothlin for the bullpen?

2) Which of the last three names on this list should be sent to AAA? I am likely to go with 10 pitchers overall the five starters (1 of whom is likely to be in the bullpen), and then five relievers. So two of three: Radatz. Moeller or Face need to go to AAA at least to start the season (we can draft more than 25 players). How do you way ERC+ v. WHIP + or is there another factor to consider? All three are RH.

imo, Radatz is a MUCH better RP than Face and Moellar are... he beats them at a lot, and anything he doesn't... well, 40 points of OAV is going to be the diff. here... no idea why they're being considered to make the team over him... though Radatz is probably your mopup anyway...

uncleal, you have convinced me on Radatz, messrs. Face and Moellar will go to our Santa Barbara AAA team...

Bobby Murcer is not a legitimate Center Fielder? I think he made a bunch of all-star games at that position. He is not a good fielder at CF this season, but in 1970 is A/A+ at CF. So dealing for a centerfielder when you have 3 all-star outfielders does not seem a good idea. The bench includes Jose Tartabull - A/B+, so I will put him in CF as defensive replacement in the hierarchies, thanks for noticing the OF defensive situation.

But evil_twin, you have a point about the bullpen. I do have Grant Jackson. Dealing some of the pitchers and Joe Pepitone for a reliever with a future or draft pick is a good idea, but hard to pull off unless someone has more RPs than they need. Could be though.

boogerlips - you get an "A" for effort and enthusiasm (as indicated by ALL CAPS) - BUT (this is emphasis not enthusiasm) - THERE ARE NO WAIVERS IN PROGRESSIVE LEAGUES BUDDY !

IMO with this team you have a stronger pen then rotation, so I'd personally go 4 man rotation (Lemaster, Jackson, Kaat, John) with lower pitch counts and a high pull setting, having McGlothlin Long A (available 4th) and Gelnar/Hartenstein Setup A (available 6/7) and let your pen rescue you from any trouble the starters run into. If the starters do perform well, they can eat innings and your pen can close out the game. Your other 3 can be set at Long B and can be set to ANY in case one of your SP (especially Kaat or John) run into early inning troubles.

That gives you your best IP toward the end of the game when it matters most. The only thing this may mean is that you set your pinch hitting lower so your RP stay in multiple innings.

Thanks frazzman and ryno. I just got Mike Kilkenny as my last draft pick for this team, so he reinforces the bullpen with 120+ IP and a 1.24 WHIP.

I am certain to go with something like what you suggest frazzman. My only question about is about Long A: my sense is that starters put on Setup A get used a lot and those on Long A use a fraction of their IP, but it would be good to get McGlothlin in games. So I was thinking of putting him at Setup A and Kilkenny at Long A, not sure where to put the somewhat better of the others though.

You seem to suggest that the earlier availability will make up for McGlothlin being Long A. Thanks for the reminder on PH, though won't that work to keep SPs in the game when the bullpen, as you both correctly point out, is stronger?

But you do both get the general idea, almost a 1990s approach: use SPs to eat the first 5-7 innings and keep you in the game, with a strong offense. Count on the bullpen to win the game.

ryno, you know that I am always willing to wheel and deal with you. I think I traded Bob Humphreys to you - I certainly had him a couple of seasons ago. Have to take a look at the others - Bouton is in his "Ball Four" season, hmm. Any interest in Joe Pepitone? I can spare him for something useful...

I've found that if you set your pull setting for SP at 4 or 5 they will use your long A liberally in the early innings. It's also good because if both your setup A are fatigued or get pulled from the game before the 9th, your Long A becomes your closer (if you don't have one setup).

As for PH, you can do it one of 2 ways. With a high pull setting, you probably will see your SP pulled while they are pitching more than when they are batting, so you can set it low and have them hit if they are pitching well. The other option is just uncheck the PH box for your RP and set your pinch hitting setting higher. But if you do this, you will NEVER see your RP come out for a PH.

I think that if your rotation goes 5-7 IP with a lead you will be lucky. You will also be wasting the strength of your bullpen. With the setup you have, I'd have my SP go 5-6 IP tops and let my good RP pitch the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th (if needed). You have plenty of RP IP to have them pitch 3-4 innings a game.

I took the advice from all of you about the bullpen being the key and traded for Wilhelm and Mikkelson, and used the draft pick I had left to get Mike Kilkenny. (trading Aguirre and Face, and sending Lasher and Radatz to AAA to make room).

So the starters are there to get us through 5-6 innings, with partial exception of Lemaster, and the goal is to get the ball through concentric circles of pairs of RPs (McGlothlin and Kilkenny Long A, then Hartenstein and Gelnar Setup A, then Wilhelm and Mikkelson Closer A). So we will see how it goes. The offense has some holes, but should also score some runs. Defense is fair in the IF and behind the plate, not very good in the OF. And the SPs are nothing to write home about this season, but not horrible either, so if they can get us 5 innings regularly and keep us in the game we have a shot to do well.

personally, I always put my BEST RP's as Setup A - those are typically the pitchers that are brought in more often. My Closer is often not even close to my best RP - just someone with a low OAV. I think having guys like Mikkelson and Wilhem as closers would just waste their potential. They are studs this year - take advantage of that to let them pitch the most innings! :)